Frankenstein

‘This is a night of great danger,’ I replied, ‘very great danger. But after this night, we will be happy together.’

I told Elizabeth to stay in the room. I told her to lock the door until I came back. Then I looked through the inn I went into every room. But the Monster was not there. Perhaps nothing would happen.

Suddenly I heard a terrible scream – and then another. It came from our room. Elizabeth was alone in the room. Then I understood. The Monster was going to kill Elizabeth, not me. This was his revenge.

I called some servants. Together we rushed to the room. We broke down the door.

It was too late. Elizabeth lay dead on our marriage bed.

Her face had a look of terror. Her beautiful hair hung over her lifeless body. The marks of the Monster’s hands were on her white neck. The Monster’s hard, wrinkled fingers had torn her body. Her white dress was red with blood.

I ran to the window and looked out. In the moonlight, I saw the terrible shape of the Monster. I fired my gun, but the Monster was moving too quickly. In a moment, he had disappeared behind some trees.

People rushed into the room. I do not remember what I said or did. I was taken back to Geneva. I was mad with pain and sadness. When my father heard the news, he became ill. A few weeks later, he died.

For a long time, I lived alone. I saw no one. Perhaps I was mad. I do not know. One day, I went to the graveyard. All the people I loved were there. I looked at William’s grave. I looked at Elizabeth’s grave. And I looked at the grave of my father and mother.

I stood there and I raised my eyes to the sky. I spoke aloud to God in Heaven.

‘I, Victor Frankenstein, doctor of Geneva, say these words. I will spend the rest of my life looking for the Monster. Then I will kill him. I, Victor Frankenstein, created the Monster. I will kill him.’

I stood there looking at the dark clouds above me. Like an answer, I heard a loud terrible laugh. The sound made my blood cold. Then I heard the Monster’s voice.

‘Now I am happy,’ the Monster said. ‘I have had my revenge. The rest of your life will be as miserable as mine. Follow me and find me if you can.’

9. REVENGE AT LAST

Years passed. Now I feel that my life is nearly over.

I followed the Monster wherever he led me. I followed him through forests and across deserts. I crossed flat plains and high mountains.

As last we have reached this place of ice and snow. The cold is terrible. But the Monster feels nothing. He does not feel cold or heat. Always, he has been in front of me. I get near him, but I can never catch him.

Now the journey has ended. The Monster is ready to stand and fight. He is bigger and stronger than me. But I have my gun. I will be able to kill him before he kills me.

I can see the Monster in front of me. His terrible shape looks black against the write snow. He has stopped at last. He has turned to look at me.

‘Do not kill me yet, Victor Frankenstein,’ the Monster cried. ‘Listen to what I have to say.’

‘What can you say to me?’ I replied. ‘You have destroyed everything I loved. You are a thing of evil – a wicked creature.’

‘You made me,’ the Monster replied. ‘You are guilty. I did not wish to be evil. I wanted to be your friend. But you made me ugly. You ran away from me. Those I tried to love were afraid of me. So, I killed them.

‘I asked you to create a friend for me. But you destroyed her. I had no family to love, so I destroyed yours.

‘My wicked life made me unhappy. But I could not stop. Pain and unhappiness turned to anger in my mind. You are guilty, Frankenstein. You gave me this ugly body. You created me, you are a wicked man.’

As I listened to the Monster’s words, my mind was filled with horror.

‘What you say is true,’ I cried. ‘I was the murderer of those I loved!’

‘Now you have said these words my life of misery and unhappiness is complete,’ said the Monster sadly. ‘You are the guilty one, not me. Now I shall go far away from here. I shall find wood. I shall set light to it. Then I shall throw myself on the flames. My death will be terrible. But at last I will be at peace.’

And with one last look at me, the Monster turned and went to his lonely and terrible death.

I have decided to die in this terrible place. The story of my life has ended. Perhaps no one will ever read these words. It does not matter. Here I will stay until my body is hard and cold.

Goodbye – and may God forgive me. There are the last words of the unhappy

Victor Frankenstein